Most of the time, having two players combine to score 51 points would be enough to walk away with a victory.

But not even Markus Howard and Andrew Rowsey’s combined 51 points were enough for Marquette against sixth-ranked Wichita State, losing 80-66 in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational semifinal Tuesday afternoon.

HOWARD AND ROWSEY… AND THAT’S ABOUT IT

Howard’s 17 points in the first half on six-of-eight shooting kept Marquette within striking distance. The Shockers could not expand their lead past eight points despite 53 percent shooting and a 22-10 advantage in the paint. 

That luck ran out in the final 20 minutes, though. The Shockers forced Marquette to settle for low percentage shots, often from well beyond the arc. Howard and Rowsey scored 22 of the team’s 24 second half points. The only other player to score was junior Haanif Cheatham.

NO STAR, NO PROBLEM FOR SHOCKERS

All nine Shockers to receive minutes made at least one field goal and seven of the nine players scored at least five points. They ended with a 28-5 advantage in bench points.

Wichita State also had four players in double figures and finished shooting 54 percent from the field. Sophomore guard Landry Shamet led the Shockers with 19 points.

The Golden Eagles have now been outscored in bench points in three consecutive games. Opponents’ benches have outscored Marquette’s, 84-34, this season.

FOUL TROUBLE EXPOSES ISSUES DOWN LOW

Freshman Theo John’s inability to stay out of foul trouble limited his effectiveness again; he earned three fouls in only nine minutes on the floor. John scored one point and grabbed one rebound.

Sophomore forward Sam Hauser was also in foul trouble for most of the game after picking up three of them in his first three minutes.

This left junior center Matt Heldt to patrol the paint by himself, which led to some easy Wichita State buckets. The Shockers outscored Marquette 44-22 in the paint and had an offensive rebounding rate of 34 percent, doubling Marquette’s paltry 16 percent in that category.

STAT OF THE AFTERNOON

No Marquette player other than Howard and Rowsey scored more than five points. Howard and Rowsey’s combined 51 points contributed to 77 percent of the team’s scoring.

NEXT UP

With the loss, Marquette is now 5-20 against AP-ranked teams in the Wojciechowski era. The Golden Eagles will play the loser of No. 13 Notre Dame and LSU Wednesday in the Maui Jim Invitational’s third place game.